


Reaching For The Moon

by ElectricTVLand



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Getting Together, M/M, Rating May Change, Slow Burn, also ft. Seth cameo
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-14
Updated: 2018-07-31
Packaged: 2019-01-17 01:57:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 12,639
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12355077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElectricTVLand/pseuds/ElectricTVLand
Summary: When Forde is eight years old, the words "Wake up, you dolt!" appear on his shoulder and Mom laughs and laughs and laughs.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a bit of a companion fic to Tell Me I'm Not The Only One, but you don't have to read that one to get this one. Just same universe.
> 
> I know I'm probably botching up some of the details of how Kyle and Forde met, but it's an AU anyway.

When Forde is eight years old, the words _"Wake up, you dolt!"_ appear on his shoulder and Mom laughs and laughs and laughs.

 

"What's that s'posed to mean?" Forde asks, and when his mother has finally calmed down enough to speak, she's still smiling a mile wide.

 

"It means your soulmate is going to wake you up, you lazy boy," She teases, affectionately ruffling his hair. "If this isn't a sign that you sleep too much then I don't know what else is!" Forde frowns. He doesn't like this.

 

"Can I change it?"

 

"No," Mom admits. "That's the first thing they'll say to you. I pray you're awake to hear it." After she'd gone and messed his hair up, she gets that exclusive Mom instinct to straighten it back out, combing through his short hair until he's halfway presentable. Forde only holds still - annoying, yes, but this was Mom.

 

"Then I'll make sure to be awake!" Forde declares proudly, and Mom laughs more, and scoops him up for a hug.

 

"Don't fight fate, Forde." She says quietly, holding him tightly for a few long moments and eventually setting him free. "You'll be much happier that way."

 

Six years later, Forde wishes he could tell Mom that she'd been right. He gets a sneaking suspicion that wherever she is on the other side, she knows...

 

Once Forde had turned 13, he'd used the good will earned from his family and winning a sword contest to become a knight in training at Castle Renais. It wasn't his fault that he wasn't a morning person, and that they insisted on having their drills start at the crack of dawn. It wasn't his turn yet, they're all lined up in the courtyard, and he thinks that could be the legendary General Seth in the distance but also he can barely see his eyes are so heavy. His head droops, surely if he closes his eyes for only a few seconds it won't hurt...

 

It feels like only an instant passes and suddenly he's up, some noise registering in his brain and his body is in full blown panic mode, and the first thing he sees is a flash of green.

 

"God damn it, don't _DO_ that!" Forde shouts, and flinches as several heads turn in his direction. The world catches up with him, and he sees him, a vaguely familiar boy with this ridiculous kelly green hair. He's got this stern expression that might make even bears back down, but it's only there for a fleeting second before he blanches and staggers back. "What?" Forde's confused. Was there something on his face?"

 

"You..." The green haired guy hisses. "Did you really just say that?"

 

"Huh?" Forde's brain is lagging behind him, every word taking five times as long to process. "Oh, shit - " It dawns on him. "You mean like this?" His hands fumbling, he pulls the collar of his tunic until it exposes the words on his left shoulder. The green guy rushes over to pry his hands away so it's covered again. "So that's a yes?"

 

"We can't talk about this right now," Green is colder than Frelian winter, and once he's done his work he pushes Forde away. "But you should be training."

 

Forde's left in a daze as Green slips away, he's about to give chase when the guy who might be General Seth intervenes.

 

"Forde, was it?" The redhead asks, a smile on his face despite the outbreak. Forde jolts and hurries to stand properly, giving a quick salute. "Other hand," Mr. Maybe Seth chides, and Forde hisses a curse. He'd used his left. What a mess today was turning out to be.

 

"I'm sorry, Sir," Forde tries to pull himself together, and swaps to his right hand. Today probably couldn't get much worse than it already was.

 

"If you're going to be a Knight of Renais, you're going to have to work harder. You get extra drills today."

* * *

 

Forde's legs feel like lead and his head is even heavier. In the mess hall of the training grounds, he couldn't even stand long enough to get himself food. It's only noon, he reasons, he can skip lunch if it means he might be able to get some shut-eye. So slumped over at the end of a table, he rests his arms on it, cradling his head and getting ready for a well deserved nap.

 

Someone's shaking him up and Forde forces himself back up, bleary and now with a growing headache with how these naps have been going.

 

"I hope this isn't normal for you." It's Green again. He's sat down across from Forde, and now that there's room to relax, Forde takes a moment to get a good look at him. He gets that sense that he's seen Green somewhere before, his sharp and handsome face and very very bright hair is calling to some dormant memory deep in Forde's subconscious.

 

"N... no," Forde murmurs, rubbing his eyes and a few tears of irritation away. "Usually people don't keep waking me up." Green rolls his eyes, but reluctantly, he holds his hand out.

 

"My name's Kyle," He says, and finally there's a name to the face. They shake hands, and Forde yawns once they break free.

 

"Forde," He answers bluntly. "Haven't I seen you before?" Might as well deal with that little thorn in his side, nagging him more and more now that he has a good look.

 

"I got that feeling too. Oddly enough we must not have spoken when we last met," Kyle says hesitantly, and Forde lets out a sigh of relief. "Forde, do you recall... a few years ago, a contest in swordsmanship?"

 

It snaps back, the dots connected in his head - he _had_ seen Kyle before! One fateful day, a contest that Forde had won, and Kyle had taken second - they had fought each other.

 

"Holy cow," Forde whispers, eyes going wide with shock. "You can't be serious!" Kyle just nodded, pressing his lips together and looking grim. They'd been that close and didn't even realize it? Forde can only stare in shock, and Kyle reaches out to pat him on the shoulder again, uttering something Forde's a little too tired and bewildered to understand.

 

"Hey, um," Forde eventually creates words, blinking rapidly and staring at Kyle. "Mind if I ask you something?" Kyle seems wary, but nods.

 

"Go ahead."

 

"Can I nap right now? You keep waking me up."

 

With a frustrated sigh and a disgusted scowl, Kyle gets up.

 

"Knock yourself out. I'm not getting you when training starts again."

 

This, Forde knew, was only the beginning of either the best thing of his life, or pure insanity.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "It'll be three chapters!" I told myself. Again. Probably not. I kinda wanna do a slight slow burn again. Ye be warned.

It's been a month. Training is rough, and Forde can't sleep right. They get up so early, so Forde gets tired. He takes a nap in the evening when they finally let them go. And now, since he's napped, he ends up staying up late and not getting enough sleep for the next early rise. Kyle had called it something fancy, like a _negative feedback loop_ , and that sounded just like him.

 

Kyle had also asked they keep this whole soulmate business a secret. Easy enough. All the others assumed they were just friends, hitting it off exceptionally well. They'd even got the same bunk in the sleeping quarters, and Forde quickly crawled into the top one and claimed it home. Kyle shrugged and went along.

 

"Forde. Wake up." Forde's face is pressed into his pillow, and Kyle's tapping his shoulder _just_ right to be impossible to ignore. Morning already?

 

"Okay, _mom._ I'm up." Forde grumbles, about to roll out of bed until Kyle stops him with a death grip on his arm.

 

For all his complaining, Kyle sure kept doing things that he knew would aggravate himself. Forde vaguely wondered if he was a masochist of sorts.

 

"Ladder." Kyle warns, and Forde is forced to get up and climb out of his top bunk. This was a mistake.

 

Still, only a month and Kyle had already caught on to Forde's patterns. They had no working bond yet - after all, Kyle shied away from Forde if he got too close, but even without the psychic bond between soulmates they were hitting some kind of rhythm. This was fine, actually. He didn't mind taking a laid back approach to love.

 

"Do you think we'll be sparring partners again today?" Forde asked idly over his breakfast, his head dipping occasionally and he'd sit upright with a start. Kyle is across from him - he too looks tired, but unlike Forde he just has that determination to power through.

 

"I doubt it." Kyle shrugs loosely. "I'm much better with a lance, so I'm going to ask if I can get some more training with that. My sword skills are passable as they are."

 

"Aww..." Forde hangs his head in fake disappointment. "You could always NOT ask. You're one hell of a sparring partner! What am I gonna do without you?" Kyle flushes in embarrassment - he does that every time Forde compliments him, it's kind of cute.

 

"You find someone else," Kyle says bluntly. "You'll get stagnant as a fighter if you only deal with me."

 

"Still," Forde's forgotten about his breakfast. "Let's hang out during the breaks, okay?"

 

Kyle just hums.

* * *

 

When there's a pause in the training, Forde sneaks off - he was excelling a lot, so a little slacking wouldn't be a problem.

 

They'd managed to find a place among the massive castle grounds of Renais for a little bit of privacy, a corner hidden from the sun in the gardens. Kyle was already there, sitting in the grass and leaned back against the wall, hands folded together. He nods to acknowledge Forde's presence, and the blond plops down next to him. There's a beat of silence, and eventually Forde speaks.

 

"So today, General Seth says I'm gonna get moved up." Forde beams, turning to grin at Kyle. Their shoulders are pressed together, and it's a rare moment Kyle doesn't try to escape.

 

"How funny. He told me the same thing," He says airily, in false surprise, although he does lean forward to look Forde over with a critical eye. "You? You lack the discipline. How are you going to get moved to the royal guard?"

 

"I'onno," Forde hums. "Perhaps it's my natural talent." Kyle snorts and badly hides a laugh.

 

"You'll have to work harder. I'm going to stop waking you up in the morning." Kyle teases, and Forde can't help but smile.

 

"Great! I'll sleep more!"

 

They keep talking, and Forde watches the shadows from the sun sprawl longer over the garden. They'd have to go back soon. Dammit.

 

"Forde, I've been thinking about something." Kyle brings up out of nowhere, and Forde tilts his head, listening intently. The green knight isn't looking at him, finding looking at an impeccably trimmed shrub more interesting, but his face is strained with intense thought. "... We have yet to activate the bond."

 

"Yeah, I guess." Forde rolls his eyes. The bond was a funny thing - Forde had heard a lot. It was a simple link between two soulmates, and emotions apparently flowed freely through it, giving the pair a good idea of what the other's condition. But it didn't even appear until... "I didn't expect you to kiss me yet." With that Kyle flushes a bit again. The poor guy.

 

"You're remarkably patient." Kyle murmurs, almost too quiet.

 

"If we're meant to be together then of course!" Forde nudges Kyle in the side, and the green knight groans a little in irritation. "Mom said your soulmate is your best friend first, THEN everything else."

 

"That's... a _different_ way of looking at things."

 

"It makes sense, though." Forde looks over, and Kyle reluctantly meets his eyes. "I wouldn't wanna get together with someone who I couldn't be friends with." He flashes a smile, and even Kyle can't resist, grinning in return.

 

"You're doing a good job at that." Kyle actually complimented Forde. Now it's Forde's turn, the knight's face heating up in the glow of embarrassment.

 

"We should go back! Before we lose those promotions!" Forde is up on his feet, holding his hand out for Kyle. The other trainee takes it gladly, Forde pulling him to his feet, and they're off to return to training for the day.


	3. Chapter 3

It's been a year.

 

Royal Guard training is rougher than the regular stuff, but his qualms about sleeping aside, Forde is all too happy to rise to the challenge. It made good letters for Dad and Franz. Dad's letters back were glowing and Forde couldn't help but smile reading Franz's excited scrawl, like the words were being thrown on the page as fast as possible.

 

Kyle's doing even better. He doesn't brag. How disgustingly knightly of him, and perfectly in character.

 

Kyle and Forde have a reputation now for being a package deal - wherever there is one, there is the other. At first Seth had actually tried to separate them, but eventually realized the futility of that task.

 

_"You two work exceptionally well as a team,"_ He had said one day, and Forde was giddy with excitement for a week over that compliment. Now he had a GOOD excuse to stay with Kyle all the time.

 

"You think they'll keep us together?" Forde asks one morning. It's the usual morning warm up for them, a quick spar with Forde using a wooden sword and Kyle using a training lance. They trade a flurry of blows until their weapons lock together in a stale mate, and Kyle hums conversationally over his reply.

 

"I noticed all the attempts to stop you from clinging to me came to an end," Kyle replies. Now fluent in Kyle Speak, Forde believes this means yes.

 

"You act like I'm the only one who's sad when we get split." Forde sticks his tongue out, and with a shove he forces the green knight back. Kyle scoffs, although caught red-handed - his face is heating up.

 

"You make me look better," Kyle counters.

 

"You miss me! That's adorable!" Forde laughs. It comes to an abrupt stop - Kyle's jabbed him in the stomach and down goes Forde, coughing and wheezing with the wind knocked out of him.

* * *

 

Once in a blue moon, Kyle could be goaded into something a little more silly. This was one of those nights. In the crowded barracks, crowded around a tiny table, Kyle and Forde sat. It was a simple game one of the other knights proposed called something like Egyptian Rat Screw or not - You flip the cards out, and when there were doubles, you slapped. Slap the deck, you get the cards - get the entire deck to win. Simple. There was something about face cards and having to dish out a certain amount or get countered by another face, but that wasn't important. Kyle had _never_ played before. Forde was READY.

 

The game started with about five of them, any more than they might end up breaking each other's fingers. No big deal. Forde had this one in the bag, he'd played this with Dad and Franz before and was undefeated.

 

Or so he thought.

 

No, this one was going swimmingly. Everyone else had been knocked out but Kyle, and here Kyle was, leaned back in his chair with majority of the deck in hand, his handsome face all too stoic yet smug as he looked down at Forde. Forde was hunched over, dragging out what was supposed to be a fast paced game. His hand hurt. Kyle slapped those cards like a _motherfucker._

 

"Ah-ah," Forde has only placed his fingers on the top card of his deck and Kyle scolded him. "Flip it _away,_ Forde. It's not fair if you see it."

 

"Fuck off," Forde hisses, but he readjusts. The small crowd around them murmurs and whispers in excitement before they go quiet. With a deep breath Forde starts, and there's nothing he can hear besides the alternating smacks of cards being thrown onto the pile. Three of diamonds, Five of clubs, two of diamonds, King of Hearts - Aha! Forde's card. That was good. "Come on, Kyle. Hurry it up." With an eye roll, Kyle starts to throw down three cards. Six, eight -

 

_BAM._ Kyle's hand was down on the pile and he was already pulling it over to him, the other knights getting riled up - Forde didn't listen to them. He was glaring daggers into Kyle.

 

"Lemme see it," He demanded, flicking his fingers for emphasis. "I didn't even see what the slap was."

 

"Double eights," Kyle shoots back, but he obliges - and now Forde has to stare at what was, indeed, an eight of spades and an eight of clubs right on top.

 

"How'd you even - "

 

"I got that slap last time," Kyle explains calmly, and taps his ever growing deck to be neat again. "So I simply remembered to be ready when I saw that eight again." Forde growls from his throat. Even the red knight knew that one, but that tidbit of strategy being used by Kyle was WORSE. He'd never played the damn game before!

 

Whap, whap, whap. Forde watched the cards fly by like a hawk. He had to get one. He spots one - a double of tens! Forde's hand whips out - His fingers mash into Kyle's. They lock eyes, but there was no love here - just cold determination.

 

"I won that one," Kyle insists.

 

"No way! I got it!" Forde looks up at the peanut gallery, pleading. "Come on, guys! I won that one!"

 

"Actually..." Someone does speak up. It's some guy with tanned skin and messy black hair that Forde can't remember the name of. "Kyle did win. His fingers are beneath yours." There's murmurs of agreement - indeed, while they'd practically shoved each other's hands off, but two of the green knight's fingers were pressed down on the stack and Forde's lay on top.

 

Forde shouts a swear and it takes all he has to not flip the table.

 

"Okay, Kyle. We're gonna END this. You and me." There's a fire building in Forde's stomach. Was he overreacting over a stupid card game? Yes, but this was PERSONAL.

 

"You'll be out of the game in minutes at this rate," Kyle says idly. He's been leaning back this whole time, the _smug jackass_ \- and still, with the distance, he was winning every slap! Without another word, Forde starts again. Every card thrown down sends a spark up Forde's arm, inching him closer and closer to a winning slap.

 

Down goes an Ace of Spades from Kyle's hand. Forde sighs. He has a slim deck remaining, there was little chance of being saved. One, two, three, four - the last was a Queen of hearts. The peanut gallery rustled with anticipation - that doom had narrowly been avoided, but Kyle was all too calm. One, two - A King. Forde licked his lips, and the tension in the air rose. He kept throwing them down until another Ace appeared. Now this was some kind of sick joke. It kept going - King after Jack after Ace after Queen with no doubles. This dreadful luck would run out soon, and this now gigantic stack of valuable cards was on the verge of being won. And now, Forde threw down a Jack. Only one card, one chance for it to be countered by another face - and Forde had an itching feeling that this was the end to the chain. Kyle was hesitant. Finally he shows reluctance, this far into it.

 

Yet, with a flick of his wrist, he throws down a Jack.

 

Forde's hand flew faster than an arrow, Kyle springing into action at the same time. The crowd went _wild._

 

The red knight slams his hand down as hard as he can, Kyle hits with everything he's got. Forde's hand is underneath Kyle's - success! That victory was short lived, an immense pain branching up his hand speaking much louder than the rush of joy. Wrenching away, Forde staggers back, clutching his hand. Kyle's up at his side, one hand on his shoulder and the other gingerly reaching for his wrist. It's all Forde can focus on, the surprisingly gentle grip Kyle is using after slapping the shit out of him for 30 minutes straight.

 

"The infirmary. Let's go." Kyle's forgotten the game just like that, pushing through the crowd and pulling Forde with him.

* * *

 

"A broken finger," Forde laments in bed that night, staring up at the ceiling. Thanks to the help of a cleric, it wasn't as bad as it could have been. But it was his sword hand, now wrapped up and useless, resting on his chest.

 

"I can't apologize enough." Kyle's voice filters up from the bottom bunk. Forde can't see his face, but he has a fairly good idea - there's no denying the thick guilt in his tone.

 

"Yeah, it's fine... We got a little too wrapped up in the heat of the game..." Forde hums. "I still won the last one." He chuckles. There's a faint rustling of blankets and suddenly Kyle's head is poking up over the edge of the bunk, those intense green eyes zeroed in on Forde.

 

"I _broke_ your _hand,"_ Kyle states, confusion written all over his face. "And THAT'S what you care about?"

 

"Duh." Forde flashes a toothy grin. "I know you're sorry and all but that felt so good."

 

"You're insane." Kyle says flatly. Forde laughs, and props himself up, leaning close to Kyle.

 

"Just a week..." He hums. "Only a week and I'll be back. The clerics will work on my hand every day. So don't worry your pretty little head over it." Before Kyle can protest, Forde leans over and plants a kiss on the other knight's forehead. Kyle splutters and drops down, disappearing into the bottom bunk again. He's silent the rest of the night.

 

Too forward? Perhaps. But in hindsight, Kyle's face when he was that determined over a card game was _really_ hot.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's FE8 week :U would participate but this chapter was half written for a while

Forde has to stay in shape, so while he can't use the sword with his hand being screwed up, he can still work out. That's how he wastes his time. It's painful. If only it wasn't his right hand - were it his left, he could still paint.

 

What is nice about this is how gently Kyle is treating him. He regularly asks how Forde is doing, gently taking the red knight's injured hand to look at it and make sure the wrappings are secure - and then getting mad when Forde suggests he should kiss it to make him feel better.

 

"On Wednesday I should be all ready to go," Forde muses aloud. This time they're in the baths, pulling their clothes off - they had an agreement they enjoyed going real late as to not be disturbed. It worked out. Kyle was testing the water, and Forde was carefully pulling his clothes off with his weaker left hand. It was a very large bath, built to be efficient in getting the soldiers clean and yet still more luxurious than anything Forde had ever seen at home. In the dead of night, it was abandoned. The downside being that the water wasn't so warm anymore. Kyle didn't seem to mind, given his cold disposition he likely felt right at home.

 

"That's good. I fear for your skills if you've been lazy all this week." Kyle's voice is echoing slightly in the large room. He has yet to undress, he's always been a little shy about it. Forde understood, he once did too, but he found he quickly adjusted with the tight quarters of the barracks that allowed no privacy between any of the trainees.

 

"Come on, ONE week isn't going to instantly ruin my washboard abs." Forde snorts, and Kyle looks over, somehow curious enough to confirm such a fact. "Like what you see?" The blond teases, cocking his head and giving a sultry look, his good hand resting on his hip. Kyle shakes his head.

 

"Gentle wash," He says simply.

 

"Oh, come on! You're so mean," Forde whines playfully, a horrible idea rising up in his mind. Kyle's back is turned, he's a little too close to the edge of the bath - Forde slowly, slowly stalks forward, meandering just enough to disguise his intent. "Do you EVER say anything nice about me, Kyle? I feel like you don't love me..." He hooks one arm around Kyle's shoulder, bare skin pressing up against the green knight's arm, and there's no missing the way Kyle's face instantly goes crimson.

 

"Someone has to take you down a peg," Kyle carefully speaks, slowly turning his head. He's thinking too hard, Forde can tell - one could almost hear the gears grinding away in his head when he got slow like this.

 

"Seth yells at me enough as is," Forde counters. "Man, did you catch him last time? He seriously didn't like that nap I took when it wasn't my turn." He chuckles. Kyle rolls his eyes - he probably noticed Forde was throwing him a rope to grab on to.

 

"You're a fool." This sounds like he didn't think in the slightest about this answer. "Just look at your words." Kyle's eyes do flicker down, to Forde's shoulder. Plain as day, the words _Wake up, you dolt!_ are showing. Oh, time to start working on that evil plan of his.

 

"Yeah, Mom thought that one was really funny." Forde mutters, but he does let go. "Hey, Kyle! Come to think of it, I've never seen your words." Now he breaks out in a cat like grin. "I've seen you shirtless, but nothing! Where ARE they?" Kyle flushes an even darker red at this, tugging away from Forde.

 

"It's not as bad as you think," Kyle mutters.

 

"Why not show me?" Forde goads, but he's met with silence. "You're so cold..." He lets his head roll to the side, and with a deft movement, Forde gives Kyle a rough push towards the bath. Spluttering out a curse, Kyle staggers, tips, and with those lightning fast reflexes he latches on to Forde's arm and they both go tumbling into the water.

 

Forde surfaces with a cheer, flashing his best smile to his fellow trainee, who looks more like a miserable wet cat by comparison with his soaked clothes and brilliant green hair plastered to his forehead.

 

"Like I said. A fool." It's all Kyle has left to say about this topic, the green knight wading back onto land and beginning the grueling task of peeling all his clothing off. Forde simply stays in the water, waiting. There was little to worry about besides more harsh words, but those hardly had any bite left to them.

 

It's when Kyle tugs off his soaked linen pants that Forde can see the words, scrawled up along his right thigh - _God damn it, don't do that!_ \- and Forde breaks out laughing.

 

"What's so funny?"

 

"The words!" Forde wheezes, pointing at them. "Is that REALLY what I said?" It has been over a year, and he had been more caught up with the current events than what had been over and done with. Kyle rolls his eyes, throwing his pants to the side and they hit the tile with a loud smack.

 

"I was so disappointed when I first saw those," Kyle grumbles. "I wondered what kind of person my soulmate was going to be if that was the first thing they said."

 

"I sure do hope I turned out better than expected." Normally Forde jokes a lot, but this had just poured out without a thought. It was a bizarre moment where his own voice sounded alien and distant, the words forming into sentences on their own. Kyle pauses in his handiwork, thumbs hooked into the waistband of his underwear - and he looks down at Forde, expression softening.

 

"You are," He answers, his voice uncharacteristically gentle. "Despite our first exchange, this has all been a pleasant surprise... and I'm astonished at your patience with me."

 

"I'm glad you really do say nice things about me!" Forde manages to laugh again, and puts a hand on Kyle's knee. "Now, hurry up. The water's cold."

 

Kyle scoffs but goes along with it. So he's been catching on to Forde's bullshit lately, but it didn't matter.

* * *

 

When Forde gets his next letter from Franz, his first clue is how the words look like they were written carefully for a change.

 

He's staring in shock at a piece of paper from his brother. Normally Franz's letters brought such joy, but this... He's supposed to be getting up to go do drills, but he's sitting in his bunk, legs dangling over the edge, not sure he can even comprehend the damn thing anymore.

 

"What's wrong?" Kyle's at his side in a flash, tapping on his knee in an attempt to get his attention. "You look pale. Is it something I can help with?" He didn't even bother pretending he didn't know something was up.

 

"It's, uh..." Forde clears his throat. "Dad. He's sick." Forde doesn't need to say anything else and Kyle understands. Withdrawing his hand, he backs up a few steps.

 

"You ought to visit home," Kyle's suggestion sounds more like an order. "You said it's just him and Franz, right?"

 

"Yeah." Forde can't ignore the reflexive ache in his chest at the thought. It'd been years since Mom's passing, and yet still the pain would not entirely fade. "Do you think they'd let me?"

 

"Your hand is still injured. You're not much use anyway," Kyle says, but when Forde doesn't answer him, he lets out a sigh. "I'll go with you to ask General Seth if you're so worried, okay?" With a reassuring pat to the shoulder, he starts to lead the blond off elsewhere.

 

Everything's turned into a blur. All Forde can think about is _Dad is sick. Dad is sick. Just like Mom._ Everything was fine one day and then it wasn't. Franz had been too young to even remember Mom. All he had were stories and the one portrait of her Forde had drawn a while ago.

 

He almost doesn't notice Kyle is leading him by the hand. It's cute. He wishes he weren't so sick with worry, he might have been able to make a joke about it if he wasn't.

 

Somehow they're out in the training grounds. Nothing has started yet. There is, however, a quickly approaching target with red hair and blue armor. General Seth.

 

"Sir," Kyle bows his head in respect quickly, Forde hesitating before he joins that motion. "There's something we need to talk to you about." When Forde lifts his head, Seth has turned to face them. Despite his imposing figure, his face is surprisingly soft, but those eyes. To mistake the gentleness for weakness would be a mistake. Those eyes saw _everything._

 

"Both of you?" Seth questions, but he already knows it has to be this way. "Very well. What did you want to speak about?"

 

"Sir, I..." Forde's mouth goes dry. Before everything was too heavy, but now it feels like a whole horse is standing on his shoulders. "I'd like permission to go home, Sir. Just for a little." The pause that follows isn't that long, but it feels like an eternity.

 

"His father is ill," Kyle quickly cuts in. Thank the gods for Kyle. "His brother is too young to take care of himself."

 

"I just want to check," Forde says quietly. He can't bring himself to look up. "And my hand is still useless." They're just rationalizing by now. When Seth is certain they're not going to talk any further, he opens his mouth to speak.

 

"You're already behind on your training," He says to Forde. "So I expect you to do your best to catch up when you return." Forde's head snaps up, unable to hold back a growing smile.

 

"I'll work twice as hard!" He reassures Seth right away. "And I'll even make sure my hand doesn't get broken again!" That tension dragging him towards the Earth has partially broken away, and he's almost lightheaded with the half-freedom.

 

"I'd like to request that I go with him." Kyle suddenly interjects, and catches both Forde and Seth off guard. The pair both look at him, Forde mostly in surprise.

 

"What? Don't you have to train still?" He moves a little closer, but Kyle holds up his hand, one finger raised - _wait a minute._

 

"He's right," Seth turns critical again. "I understand he's your friend but this is his family emergency, not yours."

 

"Please," Kyle has a pleading edge to his voice. "It's important to me." He's tensed up, shoulders stiff and letting his hand drop back to his side. "Sir, he's my soulmate."

 

Forde must be dreaming. Did he really just say that? Looking back to Seth, he can't form words. The General is still staring the green knight down.

 

It's after a few beats that he lets out a soft chuckle.

 

"I had a feeling that was the case." Seth seems thoroughly amused. "Very well. You may go."

 

Forde can't move and Kyle has to drag him back to the barracks, guiding him through the whole packing process. Were they truly that obvious? Or was Seth just that perceptive?

 

_"A little bit of both,"_ Kyle had said later. _"You cling to me too much for it to be just friends."_


	5. Chapter 5

_"I had a feeling that was the case,"_ Forde keeps mockingly repeating under his breath. That statement from General Seth made him angrier than he thought. Over and over again, he thought about it.

 

It wasn't until he almost fell off his horse and Kyle yelled at him to focus.

 

"I know this is important to you, but if you fall and break something else General Seth might reconsider this kind offer." Kyle's expertly riding his horse, naturally. Their graduation from infantry to the mounted unit was in the works, and after more negotiation with Seth he conceded this was one way he could keep Kyle and Forde doing some weak training. Of course, Forde intended to nap at every opportunity with this small three day break.

 

Forde's mostly silent during this half a day's ride home. Kyle offers little outside of his usual warnings and complaints, but if that's any indication, he feels well enough to actually bring himself to bitch about things. A grouchy Kyle is a Kyle who has everything he needs. Forde honestly can't work up his usual conversational habits, but Kyle doesn't press him on it. No unnecessary words are traded.

 

Eventually, Forde knows this dirt path through the woods. They ride into a village, and everything is exactly the same as when Forde left. All the tiny houses clustered together and the little shops that are run out of them, the well in the center of town, and the homes the farmers live in further on and things get more sparse and the trees give way to open fields.

 

He spots it - home. Kyle says something but Forde isn't listening anymore, urging his horse forward to the little brown house with an apple tree out front. This time of year, the apples are almost perfect, turning red along with the leaves of the trees. He barely manages to stop his horse and tie it to the fence, Forde rushing up to the door. He doesn't even need to knock, someone throws it open before he can even lift a hand.

 

"FORDE!" In a blur of yellow, Franz has nearly tackled Forde to the ground. The boy is squeezing him with all his strength in some attempt of a hug, and Forde laughs, throwing his arms around his brother in return.

 

"Franz! Sorry I didn't write, I didn't have time." Forde says, and when Franz finally peels off of him the boy's gaze goes behind Forde. Oh, right - the blond remembers that Kyle is here. Sure enough, he's standing on the path a little bit away, unsure if he should do anything about this touching reunion.

 

"Sorry." He flashes Kyle a nervous grin, but he waves it off.

 

"Don't be."

 

Franz is a little uneasy himself, but he does step up to greet Kyle, holding a hand out.

 

"Hello, I'm Franz." He's already trying to practice that knightly honor he'd heard about, standing tall and speaking carefully.

 

"I'm Kyle," Kyle's face softens and he smiles, and Forde can't help but feel a sting of jealousy - why? It's just Franz. There's nothing to worry about. "It's great to finally see you after hearing so much from your brother."

 

"Yeah!" Franz drops a bit of the knight act to remember that he's ten years old and doesn't have to worry about it. "Forde wrote a lot about you in his letters!" Although it's at this that Kyle remembers he's a cold son of a bitch, and his eyes dart up to Forde.

 

"You bet I was gonna tell him about my training buddy." Forde moves for the door. "Now come on. There's nothing good out here." While this was all heartwarming, there was still something pressing down on Forde, and he doesn't even wait for Kyle and Franz before he's going indoors.

 

He's greeted by Dad.

 

He's just standing there, at the stove, working on dinner. He's a tall man, with short brown hair laced with gray, a sturdy build expected of a knight of Renais - but he's there, at the little wood stove, obviously wearing his normal working clothes. When he hears Forde enter, he turns to look - his face is definitely pale, but he's not - it looks nothing like it did when it happened to Mom. Forde's knees buckle and almost give out. The pressure magically disappeared again but he might fall anyway.

 

"Didn't know YOU were coming home. Did they kick you out?" He asks, speaking like it hasn't been over a year since they saw each other.

 

"No," Forde's words are dying on his tongue, but he steps forward. "I uh, broke my hand, and Franz said you weren't feeling well - " He stops. Dad leaves his cooking and they meet half way, father sweeping his son in a tight embrace. It doesn't stay that way for long, Forde slipping away and mustering up a smile.

 

It's then that the door opens, Franz leading Kyle in by the wrist. Again Forde's smacked with some kind of irritation. What the hell? Kyle warmed up to his brother a million times faster than he did his own soulmate.

 

"And who's this?" Dad changes subject, standing tall and grinning widely.

 

"I'm Kyle, sir," Kyle bows politely, best he can with all his bag tucked under one arm. "I was sent along with Forde."

 

"So THIS is the Kyle we've heard so much about!" At the drop of a hat Dad is cheerful and jolly, and Kyle straightens up, an embarrassed smile touching his face. "Why don't you get him situated, Forde? Dinner's gonna be ready in a lil'."

 

"Yeah!" Forde goes over to Kyle's side, tapping his shoulder and the green knight obediently follows. "You can stay in my room." Of course, there's a guest room, but Forde prays Kyle can't figure this one out.

 

The house is small so it's mere seconds until they're in Forde's room. Everything is exactly how he left it - that is, not so neat. There's a dresser with a hair brush and countless drawing utensils scattered over it, tons of paper on a night stand, and a small bed for essentials. In another corner near the window, there's a makeshift easel and a chair, and Forde decides to throw all of Kyle's things onto this chair.

 

"Make yourself at home. I can get another bed in here, too - you know I'm strong!" Forde laughs, turning to face the other teen - but when he and Kyle's eyes lock, he's met with nothing but a dark and stormy look. Kyle's brows are knitted together, lips pressed into a thin line.

 

"Are you okay?" He asks. Forde comes to a screeching halt. Such a plain question and he can't even answer. He had planned to forget but now he wasn't so sure, an intense ache gripping his heart. It's when there is no answer that Kyle closes the distance between them, their hands brushing. "It's natural to worry. I thoroughly believe you were correct in coming home, even if it wasn't as bad as you thought it was."

 

Forde still can't bring any words, his eyes sting and the hints of tears start to well up. How pathetic. Kyle would rub this one in for sure - Kyle instead pulls the blond in for a hug, and that's what really triggers the water works. Forde hates crying, he always feels so weak, but at least Kyle is here. So he leans on him, burying his head into Kyle's shoulder, and Kyle keeps his arms around him without a word.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kyle Chapter :U I feel like whenever I write Kyle it's always "Why Can't I Hold All These Feels"

It takes a full day for Kyle to adjust. His home was bigger - he had sisters, after all, whereas Forde's family had been one of three at most and two these days. Forde's father was a cheerful man, and Kyle's quick to figure out where Forde must have gotten his temperament from. It's kind of adorable, actually, to watch them joke together in the exact same sense of humor.

 

It also might drive Kyle insane to have TWO people teasing him at every turn were it not for Franz being such a grounding force among them. Franz was kind of cute. So when Franz had ran up to Kyle the next morning, wide eyed and reverent, Kyle answered every single question Franz bombarded him with. Never mind that Kyle was still doing his warm ups at sunrise like he was supposed to - the boy was determined enough to get up at this time as well, so Kyle saw no reason to reject him. He could handle chatter during training. He was only soulmates with one talkative lunatic.

 

"Have you met the King yet?" It's the second time Franz has asked. In his frenzy, he was probably forgetting, but today Kyle was feeling generous. He's stretching first, slowly working the kinks out of his back from an uncomfortable sleeping position. Kyle had fallen asleep with Forde curled up against him in a single bed, and that didn't really do wonders for him as nice as it had initially been.

 

"No, we have not. We mostly deal with General Seth." Kyle answers, and there are stars in Franz's eyes.

 

"That's so cool!" The boy laughs, and when he's not completely star struck he's watching Kyle with an intense gaze, trying to memorize his movements. "I want to be a great knight like General Seth one day!"

 

"I'm certain you will be... Is there any practice weapons?" Kyle asks, already doubting that there will be. Turns out their father is a knight of Renais himself, so there were real weapons but he'd rather not be swinging that around first thing in the morning. Franz looks over his shoulder, and taps Kyle on the forearm to suggest he should follow.

 

"Dad might have some." Franz keeps a hold on Kyle's arm, guiding him around the house and to their fields out behind the tiny house. A farming family? Of course, Kyle thinks. Franz pulls him all the way to a weathered shack, leaving him outside to duck inside. Kyle takes this moment for a little breather - Franz was indeed adorable, but his nonstop questions were a little exhausting. The boy had the makings of a brilliant knight. Kyle didn't like to lie about things and flatter people for no reason. It was a weird experience, he'd only known Franz for a day and he was so weak to the boy's charms.

 

 _Am I already thinking of Franz as family?_ Kyle groans and presses a hand to his face. No, that was not it. Franz was a cute kid who just wanted to know what being a knight is, and it was Kyle's duty to teach him the noble ways of the knights of Renais.

 

Franz trots back out from the shed, but he just has a pitch fork in hand.

 

"We don't have practice weapons," He admits, sheepishly holding the tool up for Kyle. "Will this do?" Kyle is taken aback, blinking a few times, but he simply smiles and takes the pitchfork into his hands. While functional, his hands know this was not meant to be attacking with. It's balanced weirdly compared to the lances he's used to wielding, but Kyle steps away from Franz to keep the boy safe and takes a few mock jabs at the air with it.

 

"I would prefer something less... pointy." Kyle turns to Franz, who's been watching him with those wide green eyes of his. "Then we can practice together." Franz nearly gasps, and nodding furiously he takes the pitchfork and runs off again.

 

Kyle is so weak, he thinks, that this boy is breaking through defenses that took Forde almost an entire year. He shakes his head. Franz is back in a heartbeat, two shovels in hand, and Kyle hefts his makeshift lance up.

 

"Okay. Let's start with proper stance."

* * *

 

The sun is all the way up, the crisp dawn giving way to a warm morning. Franz is finally worn out, the boy red faced with exhaustion and breathing hard, but he gives Kyle such a genuinely bright and grateful smile that Kyle can feel himself growing a bit flustered. He hadn't done much, just shown the kid a few basics to sparring with a lance.

 

"We should make some breakfast," Franz says after he's done putting everything away, and he's trotting back indoors with a noticeably spring to his step.

 

"I can help." Kyle offers. He wasn't a particularly great cook, but it was easy enough to follow instructions and cook something edible. Not outstanding, not terrible. One of his sisters had been an expert, Kyle was required to take a crash course.

 

"Oh! It's okay. I can cook." Franz is quick, his movements are practiced and quick as he's already throwing wood into the stove. It's a reliable old thing, and Kyle moves in to offer his assistance but Franz holds him off, raising a hand. "Can you wake up Forde?" Franz asks, and Kyle doesn't have the heart to say no to those big old doe eyes. He slinks off to Forde's room.

 

The idiot is still asleep. The window is angled just right so in the morning the sun doesn't get on his face and won't wake him. Forde's exactly how Kyle left him an hour ago, partially curled up on his side with the blanket over him. Kyle reaches out to tap Forde on the shoulder, but he pauses. The blond is thoroughly relaxed in his sleep, his face calm and serene and with no hint of the sorrow that had been eating him away yesterday. Kyle bites the inside of his lip. Here he was supposed to be taking care of Forde, and yet he had been completely blindsided by this. He always seemed so carefree, and he'd taken all this soulmate business remarkably well. Even when it was painfully obvious Forde was hurting, he still gave that beautiful smile and a lighthearted remark like that pain was nothing.

 

Why couldn't Kyle do something for him in return for all he had done?

 

He shakes Forde's shoulder, like he did every morning back at the garrison. Forde is up rather quickly, blinking and groaning and letting out half formed complaints.

 

"You return to the land of the living," Kyle deadpans, and Forde flails a hand at him in some kind of failed attempt at communication.

 

"Ugh, I wanted to sleep more." Forde complains. "Just like you to still get up at sunrise on vacation, Kyle..."

 

"Franz asked for your presence - " Kyle has barely finished that, and Forde is stumbling out the door, still in his pajamas. He would have thought it silly if Franz didn't have the exact same effect on him. That boy was something else...

 

It was one thing to hear all the stories Forde told about his darling little brother, but it was another to see them in action, talking to each other.

 

"What's for breakfast?" Forde asks. He's tied his hair up in its usual ponytail, watching over Franz as he gets the stove going.

 

"Make the really good hash browns!" Franz insists.

 

"What?" Forde whines, shoulders slumping. "You ought to make ME breakfast. My hand is broken."

 

"Dad has to sleep more so you're the only one who can cook!"

 

"Not with this hand!"

 

Kyle rolls his eyes, raising his fist to his lips and clearing his throat loudly, catching Forde's attention in record time.

 

"This has piqued my interest," Kyle says, folding his hands in his lap. "If Franz thinks they're delicious then I can only trust his opinion. Why don't you make me some, too?" He lets himself smile to the other knight, and Forde glances between him and Franz, a look of betrayal in his eyes.

 

"Fine. I'm not making dinner." Forde decides, and Franz laughs, rushing to gather ingredients from their pantry. In the brief moment Franz has disappeared from the room, Kyle finds himself face to face with a wooden spoon pointed threateningly at his face.

 

"You bastard," Forde growls, although Kyle knows there's no bite to this bark. "You and Franz are in cahoots!"

 

"That implies sinister intent." Kyle scoffs, but he can't even bother to be annoyed with this and his forced stern expression melts back into a grin. "Besides, you are the better cook between us. Consider this practice for the future."

 

Forde opens his mouth to complain, but shuts it right after. Ducking his head, he sulks off to get to work on breakfast.

 

Okay, Kyle could survive another day of this.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I'm gonna try to get things on course now. Less meandering about!
> 
> Also if you read this far then thanks <3

"Forde! Just because you're on vacation doesn't mean you can slack off on laundry!"

 

Forde wakes up with a start. He had... passed out somewhere over the course of the day, ended up in bed, and the sun was starting to sink below the horizon.

 

"FORDE!" It was Dad, calling his name. Forde leaps up, staggering until he's located the room that Dad is in. Dad has been looking a lot better ever since Forde showed up - it was just a cold, he had said, Franz overreacted, he insisted. But still, Forde couldn't help but worry...

 

"Dad," Forde rasps, his voice hoarse from lack of use. "What is it?"

 

"Laundry," Dad reiterates. Even with his mild frustration, his face lit up at Forde's presence. It eased that little sting in Forde's heart, if only by a tiny bit. "You can get your boyfriend to help."

 

"What?" Forde nearly chokes, his knees buckling and he almost fell. The force of one sentence was so much he slapped his hand on the wall to keep himself upright - Forde could only stare at Dad in utter disbelief.

 

Dad just gave this sickeningly sweet smile.

 

"Oh, so that's closer to the truth than I thought." _Had Dad just gone out on a limb and guessed?_ Forde wheezed and he could feel the blood rising to his face. First Seth, now this. Was he really that obvious?

 

"I... yeah." Forde admits defeat after a few beats pass. "He's... um... Dad," the blond clears his throat, and takes a deep breath. "Kyle said my words." He lets that sentence hang in the air, and Forde feels like he just got hit over the head with a brick. Why is he so scared? What is he expecting? His pulse was racing a mile a minute and he was dizzy and about to collapse.

 

"And he's been treating you right?" Dad's question caught Forde off guard along with the underlying threat in his tone, and he blinks a few times before clearing his throat so he can speak clearly again.

 

"Yeah. Kyle's really great." Forde forces a small smile. "He um, he takes care of me. Wakes me up every morning. And he's the best sparring partner to train with - and we got promoted together, so we're gonna be a part of the royal guard together - " He laughs. Smiling becomes easier. It'd been merely a year and Kyle had become so embedded in his life, Forde couldn't imagine it without him anymore. Dad nods slowly in comprehension, and he smiles. "I couldn't ask for anyone better."

 

"Good," Dad says simply, dropping that topic as fast as he brought it up. "Now, if he's going to help you pull your weight around here, then go get him." Forde nods without a word. He feels like he can stand again. He didn't know exactly where Kyle was, but it wouldn't take long to find him. 

* * *

  
Even when he does find Kyle, sitting outside under a nearby tree and reading one over one of the few books from their house, Forde's wild heartbeat doesn't slow in the slightest. There's that squiggly, nervous feeling in the bottom of his stomach, and when Kyle looks up at him it gets worse.

 

"Wanna do laundry?" Forde nearly slurs his words together, and Kyle raises an eyebrow.

 

"Your father asked me to help, didn't he." Kyle claps the book closed, and with a sigh the green haired man rises. He doesn't suspect a thing. Forde is acting brain fried, which isn't super uncommon.

 

"Yeah," Forde answers after a few beats pass, and this moment of hesitation is what catches Kyle's attention, the green haired knight nearly passing him to go inside but he stops.

 

"What's got you worked up?" Kyle asks, and Forde whimpers a little in defeat. He wished he was more subtle than a bull in a china shop, but he was cursed with a certain level of honesty.

 

"I, uh... nothing," Forde forces a smile. "I got woken up from my nap, and - "

 

"Forde," Kyle interrupts, his voice stern. When Forde won't look at him, he reaches out and cups Forde's face, turning his head back so they're locking eyes. "If something is hurting you, please tell me." The blond tries to answer, but he's lost in Kyle's eyes and how much concern and care in those green pools.

 

"I'm fine," Forde forces out after a minute, blinking rapidly to clear up his daze. His heart is racing even faster, and now he knows exactly what his problem is. This is ridiculous, he's known Kyle for this long and they've been in far worse situations and Forde's heart didn't flutter but here they are, only a few inches between them and not even romantic in the slightest and Forde feels like he's about to faint.

 

When they're so close, Forde has a good look of how Kyle is just a few inches taller, and his handsome face that's usually taut with irritation but today he's looking a lot softer. Everything is so distant and fuzzy except for Kyle, the other man appearing in perfect clarity. Weren't they supposed to be doing something? Instead Forde nuzzles into Kyle's hand, finally submitting to his frenetic emotions that clouded his every thought.

 

"Kyle - " Words were beginning to fail him, but still Forde gave his best smile, gingerly placing his hand over Kyle's. "I like you so much it hurts." He laughs weakly, his own joke so bad that not even he thinks it's funny but still he forces the attempt. Forde isn't sure exactly when he fell in love with Kyle - it wasn't the first time they met, no. He'd wondered if it would have been a sweeping, whirlwind romance like people always made it out to be, or like the other trainee knight who excitedly told everyone he met his girlfriend and it was love at first sight. No, the words had just been a very convenient excuse just to start talking. Ever since they first met Kyle had become a constant. He was always there, with some sarcastic comment and a sly way of chiding Forde into improving his skills. He could play stupid games too and put up a hell of a fight, and even when Forde was at his worst Kyle was there so Forde could lean on him -

 

Slowly, like winter giving way to spring, something had happened. Fate or not, this felt... right.

 

"Idiot," Kyle murmurs, although he laughs too, and even this gentle, serene smile is the most stunning thing Forde has ever seen. "I knew you'd say something like that."

 

"Kyle!" Forde nearly chokes, two pin prick tears already working their way up. "That's not funny! I - " Whatever tirade was about to happen stops dead in its tracks. Kyle cradles Forde's face with both of his hands, leaning close and their foreheads touch.

 

"I'm sorry. You've done your best. You always have," He says softly, and with a quiet sigh Kyle gets all the more closer, their lips grazing, but he stops. It's an unspoken question, one that Forde readily answers by closing the minuscule distance between them. The first kiss is nothing like Forde expected, they crash together ungracefully but the feeling of Kyle's lips against his is so heavenly the blond prays this moment could last longer than it ever could. Forde works his hands into the taller man's hair, pulling him in for more, but there's this sudden spark that Forde has never felt before and they both break away, staring at each other in shock. They're both breathless, and Kyle looks more confused than Forde has ever seen him, but there's still a constant thrill, the feeling of a racing pulse.

 

It takes Forde a moment to realize this sensation is not his own.

 

"Shit, the bond - " Forde nearly coughs, and then laughs. "Oh, holy things above! I completely forgot about that!" His sudden peal of laughter is enough to break the tension, and Kyle calms, taking a step away and his head tips back. They both forgot? Incredible. Forde had been having just a blast without all the mushy stuff, it makes sense that it slipped both of their minds...

 

"I can't believe this," Kyle says flatly. "... We had something we were supposed to be doing."

 

"AND I forgot the laundry!" Forde melodramatically throws his hands up and threading them into his hair. "Oh man, Dad is going to kill me."

 

"Not if I can help it." Kyle rolls his eyes, although like a sixth sense, Forde feels a soothing relief that he knows belongs to Kyle. Oh, this is going to be a good one, because now he really can't hide his feelings.

 

"Okay, let's.." Forde rushes up to Kyle's side, and they're returning to the house. Forde is glowing, and he knows Kyle can feel it too, since he's unable to act cold and angry like he always does. There's a smile tugging at Kyle's lips, and Forde has never been so happy just to see that.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops! Sorry for the wait! Finals season and writers block does wonders! Plus I wrote most of the chapter and my computer crashed and I lost it, and I was too mad to pick it back up for a while >:V
> 
> But here we are now!  
> Edit: now fixed typos woo

The impromptu vacation ends, and as much as Forde enjoyed it, he's kind of glad to leave behind the vaguely sick feeling in his stomach that being home leaves him with. It's only ever alleviated when Kyle is nearby, and even then it's driving Kyle nuts. He says _stop that_ every five minutes or so. _Stop that, Forde. You've got nothing to worry about. You're making me feel it too._

 

It was better for the both of them, Forde supposes. He'd miss Franz and Dad but he was really not up for exploring the limits of a soul bond in front of his goddamn dad and younger brother.

 

Once back at the castle grounds, things were calmer. Mostly. General Seth went back to his usual things - Forde was seeing him more and more these days. Now with his hand fully healed, Forde could finally rejoin Kyle in the training he was supposed to do.

 

It fell into a nice rhythm like this again. Kyle wakes up Forde every morning, Forde complains, they do their training, Forde sleeps his lunch break away, and can't sleep later at night while Kyle chews him out.

 

Really, this was nothing different from what things were before. Except now there's that pesky bond. It was weird, yeah, but nothing else had changed. So it's just another day at his training leading up to his promotion to the royal guard, and Forde for once has beat Kyle to the training grounds this morning. He rummages around for a practice lance today, he and Kyle had a habit of switching their preferred weapons every other day...

 

"Forde!" Someone calls his name, and Forde is about to snap _"What!"_ in response because he knows that drives Kyle crazy when he does that, but it's not Kyle's voice.

 

"Yessir?" Forde whips around, a little frenzied, and speaks too fast. General Seth is standing there, and Forde scrambles until he's standing tall, one hand raised in salute.

 

"Use your right hand, Forde," Seth chastises, and Forde curses under his breath. A year and he never got used to that! "At ease. Do you know where Kyle is?" There's the unspoken part of _you two are usually together_ in Seth's question, and Forde bites the inside of his lip, shifting to be less alert but still half way proper.

 

"He's still getting ready." Forde can feel that Kyle is out there, but doesn't know where. Forde usually ignored the bond most of the time, although once he was conscious of it, so was Kyle. It's a slow trickle of annoyance, as Kyle is known to do.

 

"When you find him, I have something important to speak about with the both of you. Meet me in the barracks in fifteen minutes." Seth doesn't seem angry. Forde hopes so, he's trying to search the man's face for any sign of trouble.

 

"Yessir!" Forde can't take the suspense and he runs off before Seth can say anything else. Kyle will know what to do! Forgetting about his morning training, Forde dashes back towards the barracks. It doesn't take long, in fact - he does inside, rounds the corner - and he collides with green, both of them falling to the ground.

 

"Forde!" Kyle hisses, his armor scraping the stone floor as he pushes himself up.

 

"Kyle!" Forde replies, mostly because his name was called.

 

"What did you want?" Kyle is standing again, and he irritably thrusts his hand out for Forde. The red knight gratefully takes it, and is back up to his feet.

 

"Seth said he got something important for us," Forde explains. He hasn't let go of Kyle's hand, he's already moving and pulling Kyle along with him.

 

They meet Seth like planned, and Seth takes them to what looks like a planning room. Good, they get to sit. Forde and Kyle are right next to each other, and when Forde's leg won't stop bouncing out of anxiousness Kyle puts a hand on his knee and forces him to be still.

 

"I have an extremely important task for both of you." Seth doesn't seem the most certain - or was Forde over-analyzing? "Princess Eirika is traveling to Frelia, and I will be accompanying her as her escort. However, Prince Ephraim needs to travel to Grado for his training, and I cannot be in two places at once."

 

"Oh! So we're gonna - " Forde starts, but stops with a squeak when Kyle pinches his thigh for speaking out.

 

"Yes," Seth answers the unfinished question anyway. "You two are to accompany Prince Ephraim as his escort. I'm certain you won't find too much trouble along the way, but the both of you are excelling in your training enough." As he's talking, nervousness wells up from Kyle, and it's Forde's turn to comfort him. He gently places a hand over Kyle's, still resting on his leg, and it dissuades only some of the growing anxiety.

 

"We won't fail you, sir." Kyle bows his head, perfect and knightly as always. Forde nods, and tries to do something similar.

 

"Yeah! We'll do our best and keep Prince Ephraim safe!" He must have sounded too chipper and cheerful for being handed one of the most nerve wracking jobs that possibly could be handed to someone who was barely in the royal guard, but then again - Seth was smart. He wouldn't have trusted them if they weren't competent.

 

"Very well." Seth stood up. "You'll leave in a week's time."

* * *

 

"I can't _believe_ this," Kyle groans, taking a swift swing and the practice sword whiffs too close to Forde's face. Forde can practically feel Kyle's sickness as his own, this unsettled feeling in his stomach and he can't bring himself to eat feeling like that. It's terrible. Was he doing this to Kyle earlier? Forde backs up, but with a spin of his wooden lance he unleashes rapid fire jabs at the other knight.

 

"Come on, Kyle - " Forde bites his lip in concentration, and with a loud whack the weapons meet and Kyle parries him. "Can't be THAT bad!"

 

"We haven't even met the prince," Kyle reasons, another quick swing getting dangerously close to Forde's arm and the blond barely blocks it. "I don't know why we're being trusted with this. We're not ready."

 

"Of course we're ready!" Forde huffs, forcing several foot steps forward and pushing Kyle back, earning a hit on the green knight's shoulder. "Seth wouldn't have asked us if we couldn't handle it."

 

"I think this is a mistake," Kyle laments, and true to his word, Forde reaches for the bond and its only a constant stream of choking fear.

 

"It's not a mistake - " Forde reassures him, taking a swipe with his lance and when the weapons connect, Kyle's sword goes flying from his hand. Oh, _no._ Forde drops the lance right away, rushing over to Kyle's side.

 

"I'm fine." Kyle pushes on Forde's shoulder, but there's no strength in it.

 

"Uh, no, you're not." Forde rolls his eyes. "Did you forget I am now attune to all your inner thoughts?" He lets that question hang in the air, and Kyle shakes his head, accompanied by a familiar sting of annoyance.

 

"What did I do to deserve this..." Kyle mutters under his breath, but goes to retrieve the wooden sword. "That's enough for the warm ups. Let's go do the rest."

 

"Yes, sir!" Forde says, and off they go.

 

 

 

When they're getting ready for bed, Forde still has a listless feeling of sick in his stomach. He knows it's not his own, he's fairly calm and relaxed.

 

"Kyle?" Forde was going to climb up to the top bunk, but he stops. Kyle is laying stiffly on his back, staring up at the underside of the mattress above him with his hands folded over his stomach.

 

"Yes?"

 

"Are you sure you're fine?" Forde asks, and when he doesn't get an answer, Forde sighs and goes over to Kyle's bedside. "Jeez, Kyle. You're not very good at this." This gets a response, the green knight rolling his eyes.

 

"Don't worry about me. Go to sleep. You're going to have an even worse time waking up if you keep meandering about."

 

Forde gives a melodramatic sigh, and without warning he plops down so he's sitting at the edge of the bed.

 

"If you think I'm gonna sit here and let you stew like that all night, you're crazy," Forde says. "You'd sleep worse than me if you did that."

 

"And you think you can do something about it?" Kyle asks, sarcastically, and Forde can't say no to that kind of challenge. Forde crawls in the bed and lies down next to the other knight, even if Kyle complains about it.

 

"Forde - we can't do that here!" Kyle hisses, his face turning red in record time, and Forde gives a hum in response, getting comfortable. For all Kyle's complaining, he can't hide the fluttering glee that leaks through the invisible link between them, and if that wasn't enough he slowly wrapped his arms around Forde.

 

"Go to sleep, dummy." Forde rests his head on Kyle's shoulder, hooking one arm around his chest. Kyle doesn't answer again, but the slowly disappearing illness is enough of one.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HOLY CRAP! I haven't updated in half a year! I joined a bunch of RP groups and those took a lot of my creative writing energy. I haven't quite given up on this fic yet, as I do have a rough draft of how it's supposed to end, it's just going to be finding the time and energy to get there. 
> 
> This chapter might be shorter than it should be, at this point I just wanted to get it out.
> 
> Thank you for bearing with me!

The first thing that strikes Forde about the prince is how tall he is.

He's never met Ephraim before until now, but Ephraim is tall. Like, as tall as Kyle tall, six foot something. He's a little bit lanky underneath his armor. It's the day before they have to leave, and Ephraim had entered the training grounds. For never having seen the royalty until this day, it's a little shocking that suddenly here, and now there's the prince of Renais standing before him so casually.

Ephraim does not look pleased.

"It's nice to meet you, sir!" Forde cringes. Wrong title.

"Likewise." Ephraim gives a small smile, but it's clear he's a little uneasy. It's the same kind of strained smile that Kyle often gives, which has the opposite effect of intended.

"I know it's sudden, but I'm Forde." He bows, and his ponytail flops forward with how fast the motion is. "I uh, I look forward to working with you!" _Idiot!_ Forde thinks. _He's not some business partner, he's your BOSS! Royalty! What are you doing?_

"Is that so?" This seems to entertain Ephraim at the very least, and he motions for Forde to stand up again. "I shall say the same about you."

"Anyway, I - " Forde is getting a little brain fried. He should be talking more formal to the prince, but also it feels wrong to not talk like he normally does. "I need to do my warm ups! So if you'll excuse me, your majesty - " Ephraim holds his hand up.

"Not that I care - " There's something a little different about his tone. "But you don't call a prince that. You say 'your highness' - if you do that in front of someone else they might have a conniption." Ephraim finishes, laughing a bit.

"Oh, shit!" Forde curses, smacking his forehead. "Thank you, Prince Ephraim. I'll - I'm going to do my warm ups." He runs off to excuse himself from this one, and the ever present feeling of Kyle's annoyance pushes harder. No words come through and yet Forde knows what Kyle is trying to say - _You fucked up again, didn't you?_

Forde shuts him out for now, a good move since as Forde is getting his stretches started and Ephraim is there, acting like he's not the crown prince that the red cavalier is currently supposed to serve and he's pulling off some of his more formal garb, not hesitating for a moment.

"Wh... What are you doing?" Forde asks, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion.

"You're going to be part of my escort, right?" Ephraim strips down to just his tunic and pants, going for a practice lance. "I want to see how good you are. I'm not letting any old knight to protect me if he can't even match up to me." Oh, now he gets it - Forde slowly starts to grin, rushing to grab his favorite practice sword.

"That's fair, your highness!" As weird as the title feels, suddenly the tall prince with the lance is no longer so threatening. He can ignore Kyle pushing at the back of his mind, and with a shout the practice begins.

* * *

 

  
They've collapsed on the ground, weapons forgotten about. Forde is certain that Ephraim has bested him, which is the most likely case - Ephraim was not only incredibly skilled but had an advantage with his preferred weapon. Forde might have a lot of experience against lances, but naturally they were just better.

It was pointless, Forde had stopped keeping track a long time ago.

Ephraim is flustered and exhausted, but he has this great big grin on his face. He pushes himself up to rest on his elbows, smiling at Forde and the red cavalier matches the sentiment.

"Okay," Ephraim speaks, and clears his throat, attempting to sound more serious. "You pass. You can join me."

"I'm flattered!" Forde laughs, sitting up all the way. "You're really good with a lance! Even better than Kyle, I think. He's gonna be jealous."

"Kyle is the other one assigned with you, right?" Ephraim asks, and the question is so innocent and unassuming - Forde blinks. That's right, while the depth of his relationship with Kyle was incredibly obvious to Seth from the start, it was not so obvious to Ephraim, a man he had just met.

"Yeah, he's my partner."

"Ah, you two already work together. That's good." Ephraim kind of missed it again. Forde chuckles this time, and he decides to stand all the way, holding a hand out to the prince to aid in pulling him to his feet. Ephraim accepts, and again Forde is stunned by how tall he is.

"You could say that," Forde answers in a noncommittal tone - Kyle could decide to clarify if he wanted. When Forde remembers to reach out and prod him, he's answered with a sharp bite of annoyance that quickly melted into relief. Oh, Kyle...

"Hm. Regardless, it's good to meet you." Ephraim shakes Forde's hand before letting go, and he turns to pick up all his things. "I ought to get going before someone scolds me for goofing off - I suppose I shall see you when it is time to go."

"Yeah! I'll look forward to it, Prince Ephraim!" Forde waves cheerfully, and goes to get to the rest of his training for the day.

 

* * *

 

When it's finally time to go, Ephraim is late to get to the stables for their horses, and Kyle is already complaining.

"We were supposed to be departing by now," Kyle laments, and Forde can feel the twitchy, anxious fear gnawing away at his insides as if it was his own. Whenever it was Kyle's, it upset his stomach enough to make eating a mere suggestion rather than a necessity, and Forde could power through that sensation if it was himself.

"Relax." Forde pats him on the shoulder, and keeps grooming his horse. It's kind of cute how the moment Forde's hand reaches Kyle, he can feel the butterflies from the other cavalier. Forde has to bite his lip so he doesn't laugh. "I can handle this! The Prince is probably making sure everything is just fine."

"I suppose so," Kyle says in a thoroughly diplomatic move, and Forde rolls his eyes. Kyle is facing his own horse while they get them saddled up, and while it's not the most convenient Forde knows being close is a luxury they try to partake in at any given opportunity. Kyle has been more lenient about it as of late.

"Kyle." Forde stops setting his horse up, tugging Kyle's shoulder so the other knight has to look at him. "It'll be fine! I'll be there to hit the ground running, okay?" He reaches for Kyle's hand, intertwining their fingers, and Kyle instantly folds with the gesture. He pulls Forde close, and the blond is in shock initially from Kyle being the one to initiate - but he goes with it, using his other arm to wrap around Kyle and he nuzzles into the taller man's shoulder.

"I'm sorry," Kyle breathes, letting out a shaking sigh.

"Don't be," Forde says back, and he's about to do something hopelessly sappy and romantic when they hear voices and it's time to act like they weren't just goofing off while prep is supposed to be happening.

Finally, Ephraim appears followed by some poor servant who can't keep up with his brutal walking speed, and Kyle stands to attention like he should, yet Forde still blurts out right away - "Ah, Prince Ephraim! About time you showed your face!"

Even as Ephraim smirks in amusement at the jab, Kyle is quick to slap Forde on the shoulder for such disrespect. This was going to be a long trip.


End file.
